Global stocks tumble after new Trump tariff threat

BEIJING (AP) — Global stock markets fell Tuesday after U.S. President Donald Trump escalated a dispute with Beijing over technology policy by threatening a tariff hike on an additional $200 billion of Chinese goods.

KEEPING SCORE: In early trading, Germany’s DAX plunged 1.8 percent to 12,606.14 and France’s CAC 40 fell 1.4 percent to 5,372.20. London’s FTSE 100 lost 0.8 percent to 7,565.81. On Monday, the DAX retreated 1.4 percent and the CAC 40 shed 0.9 percent while the FTSE 100 lost less than 0.1 percent. Wall Street looked poised for losses, with the future for the Dow Jones industrial average off 1.6 percent and that for the Standard & Poor’s 500 index off 1.3 percent.

TRADE TENSIONS: Trump directed the U.S. Trade Representative to prepare new tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports, stepping up a dispute companies and investors worry could drag down global trade and economic growth. Trump accused Beijing of being unwilling to resolve the dispute over complaints it steals or pressures foreign companies to hand over technology. China’s Commerce Ministry criticized the White House action as blackmail and said Beijing was ready to retaliate.

ANALYST’S TAKE: “President Donald Trump’s unwillingness to back down became apparent this morning, once again sinking markets into a risk-off atmosphere,” Jingyi Pan of IG said in a report. Pan said market attention turned to China for “signs of further retaliation.”

WALL STREET: U.S. stocks finished mixed in trading that ended before Trump issued his tariff threat. Household goods companies took some of the worst losses as the S&P 500 fell for the third time in four days. The S&P 500 fell 0.2 percent, while the Dow lost 0.4 percent. The Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks rose 0.5 percent. Many investors feel smaller and more U.S.-focused companies are less vulnerable in the event of a major trade dispute.

ENERGY: Benchmark U.S. crude lost 88 cents to $64.97 per barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract rose 79 cents on Monday to $65.85. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 55 cents to $74.79 per barrel in London. The contract rose $1.90 the previous session to $75.34.

CURRENCY: The dollar declined to 109.75 yen from Monday’s 110.54 yen. The euro edged down to $1.1552 from $1.1623.